America's Greatest Pastor: Rev. Dr. George Welzbacher

He is one of the very last of the last.

Ordained priest in 1951.

An intellectual.  A scholar.  A saintly priest.  He was my pastor. 

His parish, St. John's on the East Side, is an old Irish parish founded in 1886.

He always has a spirit of priestly hospitality.  I will always remember the time I joined him at the Lex for brunch after I was recovering from surgery or the time he brought me and another friend to the theater in downtown Minneapolis.  His special care was for college students.  His love was for history.  He always reminded me of what was best in the Caesars of old.  And the time he invited me over to the rectory for root beer floats will always be a cherished memory.  His messy desk was a testimony to his genius.  A scholar priest like I have never seen, it should have been him and not Terry Murphy that got the presidency of St. Thomas College.  In fact, they should name a building after him at UST.

See his brilliant writings here: http://www.stjstp.org/Pastors_Page.html.

From a parishioner:

Father Welzbacher will be retiring from full-time ministry at the end of June.  He has expressed the wish that this occasion will be marked with much prayer.  We are confident that you will want to help make Father’s wish come true.  

The people of the  Church  of  St. John , Father Welzbacher’s current pastorate, invite you to participate in the preparation of a massive spiritual bouquet.   You can do so by sending your contribution of prayers for Father Welzbacher to Duane Kaczmarek (trustee of St. John’s), 13094 Danube Lane, Rosemount, MN 55068.  It is vital that we receive your prayer contribution NO LATER THAN JUNE 9 so that the spiritual bouquet can be presented at the June 15 event marking Father’s retirement.

Thank you for helping to honor the long, faithful service of a brilliant and holy priest.